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Correlation analysis on total lymphocyte count and CD4 count of HIV-infected patients
1Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China.
Insights
Total lymphocyte count (TLC) can help predict CD4 count in HIV patients. TLC changes also correlate with CD4 changes in those on antiretroviral therapy, aiding in AIDS management.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Hematology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- CD4 count is a critical indicator for HIV/AIDS progression and treatment monitoring.
- Accurate and accessible blood indices are needed for effective patient management, particularly in resource-limited settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between total lymphocyte count (TLC) and CD4 count in HIV-infected individuals.
- To evaluate the predictive value of TLC and other blood indices for CD4 count.
- To explore the utility of TLC changes as a surrogate marker for CD4 count changes in patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the correlation between TLC, white blood corpuscle count, and CD4 count.
- A historical cohort study examined TLC changes as a surrogate for CD4 count changes in patients on ART.
- Statistical analyses were performed to determine correlation coefficients and predictive accuracy.
Main Results:
- Both TLC and white blood corpuscle count showed a positive correlation with CD4 count.
- TLC demonstrated better predictive accuracy for CD4 count in patients receiving ART compared to those not on ART.
- In AIDS patients on ART, changes in TLC and hemoglobin positively correlated with CD4 count changes (correlation coefficients 0.31 and 0.19, respectively).
Conclusions:
- Total lymphocyte count (TLC) and its dynamic changes can serve as valuable alternative markers alongside other indices for monitoring CD4 counts in HIV-infected individuals in China.
- These findings support the use of TLC as a practical tool in the clinical management of HIV/AIDS.
Objective:
To determine the relationship between CD4 count and other blood indices and to explore the prediction of total lymphocyte count (TLC) for CD4 count in HIV-infected patients.
Methods:
Cross-sectional study was performed for the prediction of TLC and other indices for CD4 count, and historical cohort study was performed for the TLC changes as a surrogate for CD4 changes of patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to further understanding the utility of TLC changes for AIDS patients' management.
Results:
In our cross-sectional study, both TLC and white blood corpuscle count positively correlated to CD4 count, but differed in these patients. For patients on ART, the prediction of TLC for CD4 count is better than that of patient without ART. Further investigation of historical cohort study indicated that, among AIDS patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy, their TLC and haemoglobin changes also positively correlated to CD4 change, with a total correlation coefficient of 0.31 (p < 0.01) and 0.19 (p < 0.01) respectively. The prediction of TLC change for CD4 change differed each time point when patients underwent ART.
Conclusions:
Total lymphocyte count and its change can be used as alternative in conjunction with other indices to CD4 count and its change in the management of HIV-infected individuals in China.
